Archersaddictarcher
New member
I've only been shooting about 10 weeks. On completing the beginners' course, my other half (who took up archery at the same time as me) treated me to a Hoyt Excel riser and Core bamboo limbs, a Shibuya sight, and recently (after a couple of coaches said I need one, and with a certain reluctance on my part) added a Shibuya plunger button and rest (instead of the cheapy plastic rest).
While I'm improving (I'm now getting a much higher ratio of hits to misses, and higher scores than only a couple of weeks ago on equivalent rounds), I haven't yet developed a consistent form. I'm making progress (I don't think my left hand grip on the bow is the problem it was a fortnight ago, a home made wrist sling allowing me to relax a lot more) but I don't have a consistent anchor point, I'm not drawing back far enough, my release is not always smooth etc etc. I know I'd benefit from a lot more coaching and, when I can, am attending coaching sessions offered by one of the 2 clubs I've joined, as well ordinary open practice and scored rounds.
But quite a few people now (at both my clubs) have asked "have you thought about getting a long rod?" I've been told that a long rod will mean that on the arrow leaving the string, the top of the bow will fall forward away from me, rather than back towards my head. Why is that such a big deal? Surely it will mean the topmost fletchings are more likely to snag on the sight as the arrow goes past (I've already had 3 top fletchings rip off my arrows in the last 10 days)? I don't really want to add to the weight of my bow (as my left arm is getting tired holding it towards the end of the sessions).
I can't help but think that investment of time in technique is going to make a lot more difference to my shooting than investment in kit. To be honest, the more people try to encourage me to add "sticky outy bits" to my bow, the more my cussed side feels inclined to go the other way and look at barebow or even switching to longbow in the future.
So why/when should I get a longrod? Am I being unreasonable in my resistance to sticky-outy bits, having bought a recurve bow rather than traditional bow in the first place?
While I'm improving (I'm now getting a much higher ratio of hits to misses, and higher scores than only a couple of weeks ago on equivalent rounds), I haven't yet developed a consistent form. I'm making progress (I don't think my left hand grip on the bow is the problem it was a fortnight ago, a home made wrist sling allowing me to relax a lot more) but I don't have a consistent anchor point, I'm not drawing back far enough, my release is not always smooth etc etc. I know I'd benefit from a lot more coaching and, when I can, am attending coaching sessions offered by one of the 2 clubs I've joined, as well ordinary open practice and scored rounds.
But quite a few people now (at both my clubs) have asked "have you thought about getting a long rod?" I've been told that a long rod will mean that on the arrow leaving the string, the top of the bow will fall forward away from me, rather than back towards my head. Why is that such a big deal? Surely it will mean the topmost fletchings are more likely to snag on the sight as the arrow goes past (I've already had 3 top fletchings rip off my arrows in the last 10 days)? I don't really want to add to the weight of my bow (as my left arm is getting tired holding it towards the end of the sessions).
I can't help but think that investment of time in technique is going to make a lot more difference to my shooting than investment in kit. To be honest, the more people try to encourage me to add "sticky outy bits" to my bow, the more my cussed side feels inclined to go the other way and look at barebow or even switching to longbow in the future.
So why/when should I get a longrod? Am I being unreasonable in my resistance to sticky-outy bits, having bought a recurve bow rather than traditional bow in the first place?